Painting with a trowel

You can easily create the look of old, faded adobe walls simply by applying the paint with a variety of trowels. The process of troweling paint is basically goof-proof.

 

Prominent Ripple is a heavy-bodied, heavy- texture coating, based on an acrylic emulsion and can be used to create unique wall effects that minim the design of Venetian Plaster. To darken or lighten the paint add varying amounts of the same colour paint to achieve the effect you require.

HERE'S HOW:

Preparation:
Before starting this project it is a good idea to remove all furniture from the room and cover floors with drop cloths. Use masking tape to mask off all the areas that will not be painted. On skirtings use a wide masking tape to prevent paint spatters.

1. Use a spatula to apply a thin line of darker paint along the edge of the trowel: small amounts of paint are easier to control as the paint is applied to the walls.

2. The best way to describe the method of application is to apply the trowel to the wall in no particular manner - slop it on and lightly smooth across.

3. Apply the second layer of paint over the tan walls; this should be lighter in colour to complement the open, warm look of the new walls. The paint is applied to the wall by simply pulling the trowel down the wall surface. The force with which the trowel is pushed against the wall determines how much paint is spread with each stroke. For a natural, sun-aged look, at least 80 percent of the wall should be covered with trowelled-on paint.

Painting Tip: It's easier to add on than take away paint: just keep trowelling and adding thin layers of paint until the perfect look is achieved.

4. The final step involves the application of an acrylic sealer over the paint to achieve a lustrous finish to the paint, highlight the wall texture and protect the wall to make it washable. The sealer is first tinted with a small amount of gold paint before being applied to the wall with a paint roller.